Free｜How to Create Full Backup of Your Windows 11 PC (2 Ways)
Reasons for creating full backup of your Windows 11 PC
Creating a full backup of your Windows 11 PC is essential to protect your system, programs, and user data from potential risks such as hardware failures, upgrade problems, malware attacks, and file corruption. A full backup ensures you have an exact copy of your current settings and files, safeguarding them from unpredictable situations like Windows 11 boot loops, and preventing data loss in case of unforeseen circumstances.
To backup Windows 11, you can use the built-in Backup and Restore tool, third-party software like Acronis or EaseUS, or the File History feature to backup files, which can be set up with a schedule and custom selection, or the System Image Backup feature for a full system backup.
How do I backup my Windows entirely?
To create a full backup of your Windows 11 PC, you can use free and easy-to-use backup tools like [list the tools]. These tools allow you to back up all system boot files, settings, and user profiles, ensuring that your entire system is protected in case of a disaster.
1. Windows 11 Backup and Restore
Windows 11 still has the Backup and Restore feature from Windows 7, allowing you to backup your system or files, and restore your system using the created backup image in case of an issue.
2. Free backup software—Qiling Disk Master Standard
Qiling Disk Master is a comprehensive and professional utility that offers a free backup solution for Windows 11 OS, providing a range of features to easily backup your system and considered one of the best free backup software options.
❂ Multiple backup types: 4 types of backups are available: System Backup, Disk Backup, Partition Backup, and File Backup, each serving different backup needs.
❂ Various backup locations: This backup software offers flexibility and convenience in data storage and backup by allowing users to save their data to various locations, including USB drives, local disks, external hard drives, network shares, NAS devices, and cloud drives.
❂ Schedule backup: This feature allows for automated backups of modified data, performed on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule, ensuring that data is preserved.
❂ If you encounter more serious problems like system crashes or disk failures, it's a good idea to create a bootable media in advance.
You can choose to use the tool that comes with the system or a free third-party backup tool, depending on your situation. The process for each method will be described in the following part.
Method 1: Backup Windows 11 with built-in utility
Create a full backup of Windows 11 with Backup and Restore:
Step 1. To access the Backup and Restore feature in Windows, go to Control Panel, then System and Security, and click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
Step 2. On the next screen, select Create a System Image.
Step 3. Save your system image to a location such as a network drive or an external hard drive. Click Next.
Step 4. Windows selects the required drives by default, and additional drives can be added by clicking "Next".
Step 5. Confirm your backup settings and then click Proceed.
Tip: After creating a system backup, you can skip the system repair disc prompt. If needed, use a USB installation media to access recovery settings and roll back to a previous installation.
How to restore after having created a system backup image:
Once you have created a system image, you can easily restore it to the previous state, which is a fairly simple process that allows you to revert back to a known good configuration.
1. To access the recovery settings, go to the Start menu and search for "Settings," then select "System" and finally click on "Recovery."
2. Scroll down to Advanced Startup and click Restart Now.
1. Connect the external hard drive that contains your system files to the computer. This will allow you to access the system files and perform the necessary steps to fix the issue.
Method 2: Create full backup of Windows 11 via Qiling Disk Master (easier)
The step-To create a full backup of your Windows 11 PC, click on the "Backup" button, select "Full Backup," and choose a location to save the backup file.
Step 1. Download and install Qiling Disk Master Standard Edition, then launch the software.
Step 2. To backup your entire computer, click on the "Backup" option on the left side, then select either "System Backup" or "Disk Backup".
Step 3. The program automatically selects the system-related partition(s) as the source data, and you just need to choose a destination path.
Step 4. To backup your Windows 11, click on the "Proceed" button to initiate the backup process, which may take time depending on system and data size.
Notes about the lower-left settings:
Options: This software offers customizable backup features, enabling users to add comments, select compression levels, and set up email notifications for enhanced organization and convenience.
Schedule Backup: It offers automatic file backup with customizable frequencies, including daily, weekly, and monthly options, as well as event triggers and USB plug-in features, available with a paid upgrade.
Backup Scheme: The software offers various backup options, including full, incremental, and differential backups. The latter two methods, available in the Professional edition, save space on the destination disk by only backing up changed files, making them efficient.
How to restore the system image backup:
To restore your system, click on "Restore" and select either "Task" or "Image File", then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the system recovery process.
Note: To prepare for any potential Windows 11 boot issues, create a bootable disk in advance. This can be done by inserting a USB drive or CD/DVD into your computer, then using the Windows 11 installation media to create the bootable disk.
Tip: If you buy a new computer, you can use the "Universal Restore" feature (paid) and bootable media to recover your system files on the new computer.
Conclusion
To create a full backup of your Windows 11 PC, you can use either the built-in utility or Qiling Disk Master, which offers a more comprehensive backup solution. Qiling Disk Master provides various backup types for different needs and allows scheduled backups, making it a reliable option for users who want a thorough backup solution.
Qiling Disk Master is a free tool that enables cloning an SSD to another SSD in Windows 11 with ease.
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